I cannot put in words how excited I was to find out Halsey put out a rock song produced by the Bring Me boys, and it had screaming, proper screams. It's like giving a kid a candy bag the size of a kid. I don't care what you think, this is one of the coolest things to ever happen.
As a one-off track for the movie soundtrack of Birds of Prey, it definitely fit the vibe well. It's so cool to see Halsey embrace a much more vibrant and violent side of musical expression, alongside a fusion of electronic and rock elements and Bring Me The Horizon's trademark musical touch. Before this, I didn't even come close to thinking she would make something like this, her material up to that point was solidly anchored in pop and there was definitely no screams involved.
I love the chaos that they chose to harness in this track. Other than the relentlessly energetic instrumentals full of sharp sounds and strong beats, the artificial distortion they put on her voice for the majority of the track is stellar, really honing in on the vibe that this song brings across. Despite that, they let her pure cleans shine through on softer sections and it really brings home the multi-faceted musical identity of the song. That and Halsey letting some grit shine through in her vocals on the verses makes this song so distinct and full of personality.
Bring Me The Horizon's sound is evident throughout. Their electronic endeavours since Sempiternal echo through the framework of this song, from the high-pitched synths to the song structures. The riffs and drumwork aren't complex but they're as concise and powerful as every other Bring Me The Horizon song's are, providing a strong foundation but giving Halsey plenty of space to shine.
The final chorus, come on. Actual screams from a pop musician feels like a dream come true, and it ain't a cheap shout either. It's a solid scream held over a punching pseudo-breakdown, and I know the Bring Me boys wouldn't settle for anything less in quality. Gosh, it's so invigorating to have something like this happen in mainstream music, and I really do hope this isn't the last we see of Halsey's rock and screaming journey (maybe even take to Bring Me's career and delve into some metalcore?). Even though I don't fully love how drawn out the bridge is, I respect the role it plays in making the final moments hit that much harder, and it's not like it's a bad buildup anyways.
I think it's understated how well executed, smart and creative they were with this collaboration. With an intrinsically intense context, they fused the best of electronic rock with pertinent pop sensibilities and pulled Halsey over the pop/alt line so that she could give us the best of both worlds. It's a one-off track not confined to album restrictions or existing sonic expectations, it's full of fun and passion, a collision of two powerhouses of their own genres that's a unique flavour of perfection.
Rating: 5/5
"Birds of Prey: The Album" Album Cover